Drive is poetic with its minimalism, excessive in its violence, and artistic with its presentation. But while it wisely develops its characters first so that we can appreciate their plights, it fails to deliver on catharsis. The methodical build of intensity and operatic music cues offers so much promise for a truly explosive climax, but Drive seems unwilling to commit to such a satisfying culmination even when its characters are introduced with limitless capabilities and no lack of brutality. The world, its inhabitants, and the choices they make in this brooding fairy tale are all intriguing, but director Refn holds back at all the wrong moments, goes too far when it’s not necessary, and subsequently never allows the audience to fully connect with his nameless antihero or applaud his efforts to save those he loves.

Hollywood stunt driver by day and getaway wheelman for hire by night, Ryan Gosling’s unnamed “Driver” finds meaning in his life when he befriends his neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son. Though their romance is cut short when Irene’s husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) is released from prison, Driver determines to protect them after a botched robbery finds her husband dead and vicious gangsters Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks) and Nino (Ron Perlman) threatening their lives.

The editing and use of music is reminiscent of an ‘80s or ‘90s action movie, which is unique considering those decades aren’t really old enough to warrant copying as a skillful choice. The inclusion of a love interest attached to someone else, an innocent child (both of which soften the impact of the unpredictable hero), bloody violence, car chases, slow-motion and a lead character with a mysterious past are further nods to generic blow-em-up thrillers. With the notable stylishness, many of these elements are fresher and more exhilarating – it’s as if the cinematography, cutting and soundtrack are pieced together to remind us of the best bits of that not-too-long-ago era of macho moviemaking.

The ever-present score fills in for narration, replacing the need for dialogue. The driver is a man of few words and the screenplay requires little else – the music tells us what we’re supposed to be feeling and what the characters experience. During moments of bloodshed or romance, the intensity is amplified thanks to this technique. Unfortunately, Refn takes one scene in particular too far (a moment in an elevator offered up as promotional footage), which not only doesn’t fit Gosling’s persona, but also garners laughs from the audience because of its extremeness. The film starts slow and pays so much attention to its flash and approach that it momentarily beclouds the fact that underneath, it’s a standard heist-gone-wrong movie with grisly revenge. Unfortunately, the anticlimactic nature of that conscientious carnage voids cathartic vindication. The potential is definitely there, the artistry is clever, and the style overflows with conviction, but the resulting “cool” is dodgy.

- The Massie Twins

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